Advanced Nuclear Power - AREVA

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Features MX6 Shipping Cask Used For the First Time On March 17, 2004, mixed-oxide (MOX) fuel assemblies were unloaded for the first time from the new MX6 shipping cask manufactured by COGEMA LOGISTICS, at Germany’s Gundremmingen Nuclear Power Station Unit C, a BWR plant. The fuel rods were manufactured by BELGONUCLEAIRE, with fuel assembly fabrication carried out by La Société Franco-Belge de Fabrication de Combustible (FBFC) in Belgium. Developed for German Customers The MX6 shipping cask was developed and put into service for German customers by COGEMA LOGISTICS of France. It is designed for shipping fresh MOX fuel from the fabrication plant (FBFC at Dessel, Belgium, or Melox at Marcoule, France) to German nuclear power plants. Depending on the fuel basket used, the cask can carry Grafenrheinfeld, Grohnde, Brokdorf, The new shipping cask in the decontamination chamber at Gundremmingen View inside the MX6 after removal of the lid and fastenings six PWR fuel assemblies for Germany’s Isar 2 and Emsland Nuclear Power Stations, or sixteen BWR fuel assemblies for Gundremmingen. The new cask is designed in accordance with IAEA TS-R-1 regulations for fissile material contents up to 8 percent Pufiss and heat generation of 6.6 kW (due to alpha decay of plutonium-238 and americium-241 isotopes in the fuel), enabling it to be used for shipping all currently planned MOX fuel designs. A modified safety vehicle (SIFA-2/2) operated by NUCLEAR CARGO + SERVICE, based at Hanau, Germany, is used for shipping operations. The total package weight is less than 40 metric tons. The MX6 is approved for use in France, Belgium and Germany. New equipment had to be installed and existing systems modified to enable the MX6 to be unloaded at Gundremmingen. Modifications were also necessary at FBFC’s fuel manufacturing plant in Belgium to allow the cask to be loaded with fuel. Easy-to-Handle Cask Brings Significant Reduction in Exposure The deployment of the new shipping cask at fuel fabrication plants, on the transport vehicle and at Gundremmingen was planned and implemented by a team representing all parties. The customer was pleased with the cask’s first use. “The new cask can be handled safely and reliably, and is easy to operate,” explained Roland Wagner from Gundremmingen. “Another plus is that the neutron shielding integrated into the cask wall means that personnel occupational exposure levels are reduced by one-third in comparison with the previously used cask.” The experience gained from this first deployment of the cask at Gundremmingen will be leveraged for upcoming transport campaigns. The MX6 is scheduled to be used for the first time at German PWR plants next year. 24 Advanced Nuclear Power N O 11 November 2004
Yankee Rowe Decommissioning and Demolition Nearly Complete By the end of 2004, decommissioning and demolition of the Yankee Rowe nuclear power station, a 175 MW PWR in Western Massachusetts, owned by the Yankee Atomic Electric Company (YAEC) will be completed. This plant was the third nuclear power plant built in the US and the first built in New England. Framatome ANP’s ties to Yankee Rowe extend back to plant operation through the Yankee Nuclear Services Division that was purchased by Duke Power’s Engineering & Services (DE&S) division in 1997 and became part of Framatome ANP in 2003. When the plant shut down, Yankee Rowe made a commitment to the community to not only safely decommission the plant and prepare the site for future use, but also to keep the community informed about those activities. This safety-conscious and cooperative attitude played a major role in the successful completion of decommissioning activities to date. In June 2003, Yankee Rowe achieved one million work hours without a lost-time accident. Decommissioning Work Framatome ANP managed the initial decommissioning for YAEC until August 2000, when the decision was made to transfer Yankee Rowe’s spent fuel to dry storage. The company designed and helped manage the construction of the Yankee Rowe independent spent fuel storage installation (ISFSI) which began almost immediately. While this was going on, Framatome ANP provided fabrication oversight of the dry storage system components and performed an Once PCB paint and asbestos was removed from the buildings, demolition began. inspection of the accessible spent fuel assemblies stored in the fuel pool. Framatome ANP, working as a subcontractor for NAC International who was awarded the contract for the dry storage system, performed fuel loading and all associated fuel pool activities. These included confirmatory fuel inspections and characterization; and the reconstitution and sipping of damaged fuel. The first concrete storage cask was loaded and placed on the ISFSI pad in June 2002, with the final cask placed in June 2003. The YAEC and Framatome ANP team designed and operated a system to pump the 570 m 3 of water from the spent fuel pool and process the water before releasing it into the nearby Sherman Pond. Demolition Actual demolition, performed by DEMCO, a New York based company, began in November 2003. Initial work was slowed by the need to remove PCB paint and asbestos from Demolition of the containment shell required dividing the shell into 130 sections. many buildings before demolition could proceed. By early 2004, the landscape around Yankee Rowe had changed dramatically. The turbine building and many other buildings had been demolished and demolition crews were cutting 130 sections from the containment shell. The 14.5 tons concrete reactor support structure will then be brought down by the controlled use of explosives. Demolition is scheduled to be completed in 2004, with green field achieved in 2005. Framatome ANP continues to fill key roles in the Yankee organization by providing management, oversight, radiation protection, laboratory analysis, waste shipping controls, engineering, licensing, quality assurance, administrative, and health and safety support. “Framatome ANP has provided integral support throughout the decommissioning process at Yankee Rowe,” said YAEC Vice President Greg Maret. “Their expertise has been an asset to the project.” Advanced Nuclear Power N O 11 November 2004 25
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